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Overview

This lesson focuses on African American dance music styles following the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Many of these music styles had signature dances as well. These styles include but are not limited to funk, go-go, and disco, while popular dances were the funky chicken, mashed potato, camel walk, hustle, James Brown, and others. We will look at all of them in this lesson. On the social front, during the 1970s, more tangible steps towards proper racial integration and gender equality were happening than before. Besides the style of music itself, because of these steps toward equality, this lesson categorizes this music as contemporary. However, we will also see that the music industry often coopted popular Black dance music and dances to varying degrees of economic success during this era.

Be ready to:

Discuss the significance of rhythm and terms such as riff, groove, syncopation, and four-on-the-floor.

Identify dances that occurred during the late 1960s through the 1970s and venues that aided in disseminating them to the general American population.

Identify instruments such as synthesizer, slap bass, and scratch guitar and their use within funk, go-go, and disco.

Explain the role of music in raising people's level of social consciousness.

Discuss how the demographics among Black Washingtonians influenced the development of go-go.

Articulate the role of the DJ in the development and dissemination of disco music.

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References

Funk 5

As we've seen, funk did not arrive ready-made. Instead, we should think of it as a process where artists added stylistic ingredients over a lengthy development period. Critical factors in bringing all these elements together were the concept of the rhythmic lock or groove, and James Brown's and others idea of "the one," the emphasis often placed on the first beat of the bar, rather than on the backbeat, as was commonly found in rhythm and blues and soul. This emphasis on the first beat of the bar can be heard in the previously mentioned song " Bootzilla♫" by Bootsy Collins. This can be heard in the previously mentioned song " Cold Sweat♫ " at these timings: (00:00; 00:04; 00:09; 00:13; and also 00:43; 00:47; 00:52; 00:56; 01:00; 01:13). This emphasis on the first beat of the bar can also be heard in the previously mentioned song " Bootzilla♫" by Bootsy Collins beginning at 00:23, and every four counts thereafter.

Bootsy Collins

Still in the 1970s, a number of significant Black music acts were picking up on the "funky" look and sound of the Family Stone and adding their particular take on the funk style. George Clinton's "black rock" band Funkadelic recorded " Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow♫ " (1970) and " Maggot Brain♫ " (1971), fusing the influence of Jimi Hendrix with Sly Stone and James Brown. The Isley Brothers' vocal trio showcased similar influences when they left Motown in 1969 and recorded the swinging funk classic " It's Your Thing♫ " (1969). From Dayton, Ohio, the Ohio Players spawned a heavily imitated brand of jazzy party funk. From New York City, the African jazz-rock-funk of Mandrill (" Fencewalk♫ ," 1972) became a staple of outdoor shows, while the horn-heavy jazzy funk of Kool and the Gang (" Chocolate Buttermilk♫," 1970) became very popular. The West Coast featured the wide-open grooving of Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (" Express Yourself♫," 1970), War (" Slippin' Into Darkness♫," 1972), Tower of Power (" What is Hip♫ ," 1972), and Earth, Wind & Fire (" September♫" 1978).

Ohio Players

Earth, Wind & Fire

George Clinton

Funk is fun. And it's also a state of mind,(...) But it's all the ramifications of that state of mind. Once you've done the best you can, funk it!

Giorgio Moroder

I think it would be stupid for us to try and tell people who are dancing in a discotheque about the problems of the world. That is the very thing they have come away to avoid.